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Wozniacki's Woes

By Jane Voigt

May 29, 2013 -- Caroline Wozniacki, former number one, is out of Roland Garros. It's not a surprise.

Her clay court season has been dismal. She has lost in the first round of Brussels, Rome, Madrid, and Stuttgart before her arrival in Paris. However, she pulled out a win over British phenom, Laura Robson, in the first round and demonstrated her ability to leave the worse behind. It wasn't easy.

She told the press, "I'm in the tournament. That's nice."

She also remarked, with a tone more like a woman well beyond her 22 years, "I feel like I've been on the tour for a very long time."

And she has. Wozniacki turned pro at 15, in 2005.

Bojana Jovanovski is the one who defeated Wozniacki today, 76(2) 63. The loss to the 21-year-old stung. This was the second time the Serbian had beaten the Dane. She did it in Rome, too.

Ironically, Jovanovski turned pro at 15, in 2007. We have to wonder what it was like for a talented young athlete like Caroline Wozniacki, who for two years ended up number one at the end of the season, to lose twice in a month to someone who looks to be mirroring her career path.

"It hasn't been the best clay season," Wozniacki told the media, with no hint of those pearly whites she can readily flash if her mood's bright. "I wasn't consistent, didn't get her to move, then you're in trouble. I just want to look ahead and get ready for Wimbledon."

But Wozniacki has accomplished so much more than Jovanovski. She has 20 career titles, won over 8 years. Jovanovski has 1 for the 6 years she has been pounding away at this ridiculously competitive sport.

'Sunshine' Wozniacki is clearly ahead in the career title race. People forget that about this smiley-faced young woman who has withstood barrages of negativity from the media. The questions about her defensive style of tennis coupled with the lack of a Major while number one were legitimate queries, though.

But facts are facts. In 2010 and 2011, she won 12 of her 20 titles. That's a heap of awards presentations.

Since then, the count has slowed. In 2012 she won only two. This year the well is dry.

The drama that swirls around her relationship with her coach/dad, Piotr, has probably caused her concentration to wander, although she said today, "My confidence is good. I always believe I can win."

Mr. Dad Coach has finally said he will stop traveling with his daughter, which means, we think, that he will no longer coach her. He has never said this. He has stepped aside to try different coaches, but never left the picture. These trial coaches lasted a couple months each. Then Piotr and Caroline reunite, agree his coaching and her game are their keys to success, which has to mean a Grand Slam title or why else would she continue.

Wozniacki works with the Adidas Development Team, as well as alongside her father. Darren Cahill, former pro player and coach, a fine ESPN tennis analyst and a member of the Adidas team, has always believed in Sunshine -- his name for her. He sometimes takes quite a 'friendly' lashing from his buddies in the booth about his loyalty and belief in her as a super star. Cahill's perspective shouldn't be brushed off, either.

Wozniacki's involvement with golf star Rory McIlroy could be a tug on her tennis results, too, although she denies it. Their much-photographed affair, referenced as the golden couple, recently was knocked off the social media hit parade by Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn.

Over Memorial Day weekend, the couple were photographed jet skiing with his two children while McIlroy watched Caroline defeat Robson in Paris. He was there because he had missed the cut at the BMW PGA Championships at Wentworth. His golf seems to be in a sand trap of late, just like his sweetheart's. McIlroy has split with his second management company in the last 18 months, the Telegraph reported.